HBA-JEK, CCH H.B. 1279 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1279 By: Coleman Public Health 7/9/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 72nd Legislature enacted legislation relating to the regulation of asbestos removal from public buildings through the Texas Asbestos Health Protection Act. The Act exempted persons performing resilient floorcovering removal consistent with work practices published by the resilient floor covering industry or approved by the commissioner of health from the licensing and registration requirements. Violators of this provision were subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000, whereas violators of the other provisions of the Act were subject to a penalty not to exceed $10,000 a day for each violation. House Bill 1279 repeals the separate limitation on civil penalties for violating the exemption provision and increases the minimum amount of training that a person who removes resilient floor covering material must have completed. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1279 repeals law limiting to $5,000 the civil penalties associated with a violation of the provisions exempting persons performing resilient floor-covering removal consistent with work practices published by the resilient floor covering industry or approved by the commissioner of health from the licensing and registration requirements of the Texas Asbestos Health Protection Act. The bill provides that a person who removes resilient floor covering material must have completed a training course covering such work practices for a minimum of eight hours rather than a training period not to exceed eight hours. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.